Recently I had the opportunity to talk nutrition with elementary students, the key message was food is fuel! It seems that children can get mixed messages about calories, which are ultimately energy for their body. Calories are actually very important, necessary, and good for our body. The focus should be on where the calories are coming from and to make sure that MOST calories everyday are coming from foods that deliver important nutrients to help our bodies, from foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, yogurt, beans/legumes, nuts, seeds, etc.

Along those lines, we discussed about how not all calories are created equal for example calories from an orange a nutrient-rich and provide vitamins to help our body while calories from sugary foods and drinks like candy and soda provide empty calories.

Here's the handout with quick facts/tips on thinking about the concept that food is fuel!